Dasavidha-rājadhamma ("tenfold virtue of the ruler") is one of the

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

dhamma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

that

ruler A ruler, sometimes called a rule, line gauge, or scale, is a device used in geometry and technical drawing, as well as the engineering and construction industries, to measure distances or draw straight lines. Variants Rulers have long ...

s of people, organisations, companies, offices, countries or other organs are purposed to hold. It could be found in Sutta, Khuddakanikāya,

Jātaka The Jātakas (meaning "Birth Story", "related to a birth") are a voluminous body of literature native to India which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is ...

, stating:

Composition

Dasavidha-rājadhamma composes of: 1. Dāna (charity) — being prepared to sacrifice one's own pleasure for the well-being of the public, such as giving away one's belongings or other things to support or assist others, including giving knowledge and serving

public interest The public interest is "the welfare or well-being of the general public" and society. Overview Economist Lok Sang Ho in his ''Public Policy and the Public Interest'' argues that the public interest must be assessed impartially and, therefor ...

s. 2. Sīla (morality) — practicing physical and mental morals, and being a good example of others. 3. Pariccāga (altruism), being generous and avoiding

selfishness Selfishness is being concerned excessively or exclusively, for oneself or one's own advantage, pleasure, or welfare, regardless of others. Selfishness is the opposite of altruism or selflessness; and has also been contrasted (as by C. S. Lewis) w ...

, practicing altruism. 4. Ājjava (honesty) — being honest and sincere towards others, performing one's duties with loyalty and sincerity to others. 5. Maddava (gentleness) — having gentle

temperament In psychology, temperament broadly refers to consistent individual differences in behavior that are biologically based and are relatively independent of learning, system of values and attitudes. Some researchers point to association of temperam ...

, avoiding arrogance and never defaming others. 6. Tapa (self controlling) — destroying passion and performing duties without indolence. 7. Akkodha (non-anger) — being free from hatred and remaining calm in the midst of

confusion In medicine, confusion is the quality or state of being bewildered or unclear. The term "acute mental confusion"

. 8. Avihimsa (non-violence) — exercising non-violence, not being vengeful. 9. Khanti (forbearance) — practicing

patience (or forbearance) is the ability to endure difficult circumstances. Patience may involve perseverance in the face of delay; tolerance of provocation without responding in disrespect/anger; or forbearance when under strain, especially when face ...

, and trembling to serve public interests. 10. Avirodhana (uprightness) — respecting opinions of other persons, avoiding

prejudice Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that person's per ...

and promoting public peace and order.

History

Historically, there is a man who exemplifies the tenfold virtue of the ruler, namely, King

Asoka Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, s ...

(304-232 BCE), who ruled India for forty-one years. Initially, the King was a great warrior general, winning many battles, and continued to expand the Indian empire during the first eight years of his reign. After one particularly bloody, but victorious, campaign, the King took in the sight of the battleground, and seeing the carnage all around him, famously cried out, “What have I done?” Following this, he embraced

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religions, Indian religion or Indian philosophy#Buddhist philosophy, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha. ...

, establishing a just kingdom along Buddhist lines and was known as 'Dhammasoka' or "Asoka, the holder of dhamma". He promoted wildlife protection, banning hunting for sport, built universities, hospitals for people and animals, and constructed irrigation systems for trade and agriculture. The King also renounced the use of violence, ceasing all military campaigns against his neighbors, instead sending monks and nuns abroad to spread the Buddhist Teachings on wisdom and kindness. Indeed, a son and daughter of King Asoka’s who were monk and nun took Buddhism to Sri Lanka, where it remains the predominant faith to this day. This is not to say that he promoted Buddhism at the expense of other religions, however, as he also encouraged tolerance and understanding between different creeds and ethnic groups. King Asoka is remembered by Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike as an example of a truly compassionate and just ruler, who lived according to the tenfold virtue of the ruler.Forest Wisdom. (2007, August 12). ''Buddhism by number : ten duties of the king.'' nline Available: < http://forestwisdom.blogspot.com/2007/08/buddhism-by-numbers-10-duties-of-king.html >. (Accessed: 19 October 2008).

References

The Royal Institute of Thailand The Royal Society ( th, ราชบัณฑิตยสภา, , ) is the national academy of Thailand in charge of academic works of the government. The secretariat of the society is the Office of the Royal Society ( th, สำนักง� ...

. (2005). ''The Royal Institute's Dictionary of International Religious Terms.'' (Second edition with amendment).

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...

: Arun Publishing House Co., Ltd.
The Secretariat of the Cabinet of Thailand

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dasavidha-rajadhamma Buddhist philosophical concepts Buddhism and politics

Composition

History

See also

References

External links